Submit an Entry: House Style Questions

My House:

I just bought this 1889 house. Is it a Colonial Revival? Someone told me the porches were probably later additions which is why it gets confused with a Queen Anne.

The house is white. The roof is blue/gray. The previous owner put up aluminum siding on all but the porches. This houses needs color! The siding is new new and the roof is still in good shape. I want to paint the porches. I am not sure if I should stick with historical colors of the 19th century or just go with any color that will liven up this house.

My Puzzle:

What style is my house? Colonial? Colonial Revival? I have looked at photos but instead of seeing any resemblance between my house and the ones in the pics, I am more confused. Can anyone help me out?

Advice

I would like to know the style of my house so that I can paint the exterior and still be historically correct.

Should I leave the columns/pillars alone or paint them also?

I've responded to another reader on this page (link):

Jackie Craven, About.com Architecture, says:

What an interesting house! The style does seem to combine Colonial Revival features with a Victorian Queen Anne porch. Both styles were common in 1889 when your house was built, and the two styles often mingled. The house has many features of a a Free Classic Queen Anne. A Free Classic Queen Anne has classically-inspired details such as pillars raised on stone pedestals.

You will probably want to choose an uncomplicated color scheme for your dignified home. If most of the house is white vinyl, keep the pillars white also. The stone pedestals under your pillars may suggest a color scheme for accents. Definitely do not paint the stone! Instead, you might want to add touches of gray or blue-gray your column details.